Day Four: Family freeezin’ in ice cold surf-Or-How much do we love Mom?!

Tuesday Dec. 17

Today my husband and kids got up in the chilly, windy, (almost frost bitey) dark before sunrise, piled into a golf cart dressed for an island wedding…big fluffy wedding dress and all…and ran into the waves on video because they love me.  We had done the Trash the Dress shoot (for our 30 year vow renewal) last summer down in Captiva/Sanibel but when I viewed the video, I realized I needed to redo the end.  No one foresaw the natural family shot that took place at that time without Eliott (who has the son come to the Trash the Dress?…who knew?)  So we had to come back…and here we are a year later.  The only difference is the unseasonable chill here…even for December.  Woo…that’s love.

Ery and Brad, Photographer and second Photographer, had it to a science for sunrise and sunset.  Each shot an approximation of exact perfection.  So great.  Soooo cold! 

We waited in  shivers for the shoot to begin...sunrise and wind and all.  And El ran into the water to rejoice with the rest of us…just like I envisioned.  My closure...my family shot...just like Father wanted me to have.  Like the end of a long journey.   I am so happy now.  So happy.

We were all in such a state of frigidity after the water video that we scuttled the rest of the plan and called Sarah and Josh at the house to tell them we would do the other shots that included them and Brad in the evening after we had a chance to warm up.  We spent the day in varying manners of rest including manatee viewing down at the pier.  

I think every second of manatee surface time was captured in someone’s camera shot and viewed many times on Facebook.  The blowing sound they make as they breathe is somehow so exciting.  Every one of us fell in love again with them.  We could have spent the whole day just doing that.

But the rest of our island was calling.  Dave and I walked back while the kids took the cart, now gnarly with battery problems and funky rubber noises that enabled everyone to make fun of the persons riding in the back.  Best cart snapshot of the day was Brad riding facing backwards on the front of the cart with the rest of us literally piled in and on every inch of space…maximum was about half a dozen of us at a time.  It reminded me of the trailer for Beverly Hillbillies, only island style.

This afternoon Dave offered to help me go deeper into the ocean and so we did.  I wasn’t afraid this time at all (no shipwrecks or rip tide this time!).  Splash splash…swim swim…cold and out.  Yay.  He helps me not be afraid.  One of the reasons that Father sent us to each other.  And now our second wedding album is complete!  Again YAY!

After a warm swim in our own pool with Dave, I called in another grocery order with Sandie, and we had Mango’s prepare some fish for carry out for dinner.  They had already shut down their oven, however, (island speak for decided to close early) but had some pizza fixins' they could sell us for take and bake.  (Neither of the island fishermen were fishing during our stay, so this approach would work fine).  The grouper here is always amazing.  But pizza for tonight.  It’s all fine on the island. 

For our date with the sunset this evening, we put on our other wedding clothes and went to our own beach in front of the house.  A little Gembo genius, and my album was done.  

El and Dave were drawn down the beach afterwards by a darling little toy collie.  The rest of us followed.  She was attached to pilot Dave Madden who lives here with his wife and two pups.  He wanted to take us up to see the island in his plane tomorrow.  He would come get us around noon tomorrow or the next day.  I wonder if that’s island speak for good to meet you have a nice stay.  Bye.  We will see.

 So for tonight we ate pizza, played Table Topics (yay Ery) sang karaoke (yay Ely)…note:  Eliott was in rare karaoke form… island life works for him!  He is more relaxed than I have seen him in quite a while.  And thankful we were to see Brad's rocker side in a new light-totally unplugged!  Dave and Ely got out the puzzle to end the night quietly.  Now Kishel will be able to complete my love story.  Thanks, Father.  You make everything beautiful.